The winter season in New York City can be a beautiful but chilly time of the year. Whether you want to stay cozy indoors, or stroll the wintery scenes outside, NYC has some cute, romantic, and just fun places and activities for your next date. It can definitely be overwhelming with how many things there are to do in the city, so here are some ideas for a winter date that will for sure not disappoint.
1. See a Broadway Show
A visit to a Broadway theater is one of the most exciting things NYC has to offer, with shows for any kind of audience to enjoy. Seeing a musical or play this winter is a way to escape the cold weather outside, and also a cute date with your partner, who hopefully enjoys theater as much as I’m hoping you do. There are tons of ways to get less expensive tickets for a Broadway show; visit the theater’s box office, buy tickets online on discounted sites, or enter the Broadway lottery for tickets for your selected day. Personally, seeing a Broadway show is always my favorite date activity, as my partner and I are both theater lovers, and it’s always a great way to make the day better. If I were to recommend any shows to see this season, I would have to say Hadestown and Wicked, with both of them having themes of love and adventure, and are definitely beloved crowd-pleasers that I’m always going back to.
2. Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
From now until March, Bryant Park is turned into a whimsical winter village filled with food vendors, shops, and ice skating. This year, there are over 170 shops to explore on your date and tons of opportunities for the best holiday shopping. My partner and I love spending multiple days enjoying the Bryant Park Winter Village during this season, and our very favorite places to stop at are Pickle Me Pete for the best and biggest pickles on a stick, and Strawberro for a delicious cup of chocolate-covered strawberries. The Village also offers private igloos to rent if you’re looking for a more intimate and cozy setting to enjoy the seasonal selection of food and drinks, as well as The Lodge, a bit of a fancier food hall right along the side of the skating rink with tons of festive snacks, drinks, and sights.
3. Enjoy dinner at an NYC restaurant
You can never go wrong with a classic dinner date at a good restaurant, as New York City has tons of the best restaurants for you and your partner to enjoy. It’s a nice escape from the outdoor weather and a romantic setting for a night out. There’s something for everyone to enjoy when choosing a restaurant for your date. I have tons of favorites of my own dates to restaurants, starting with Coletta, a fully vegan Italian eatery that’s private, intimate, and delicious. It has some of the best vegan pasta I have yet to find, and I would highly recommend the Cacio e Pepe! Another restaurant that my partner and I are always choosing is the famous Juniors in Times Square, located right alongside Broadway theaters. Of course, they are known for their cheesecakes, but their dinner is great too. With big portions, my partner and I always love to have a cute date night sharing their delicious potato pancake and linguini marinara in this popular restaurant.
4. Take a trip to Rockefeller Center
Strolling through NYC’s famous Rockefeller Center is a perfect date, with so many things to see and do. Besides the huge Christmas tree in the middle and the ice skating rink, Rockefeller Center has shops, eateries, and just a beautiful setting for your winter date. Rockefeller Center is home to NYC’s best toy store, FAO Schwarz, and the famous Jellycat Diner, which is adorable. There’s also Rough Trade, the record store with tons of vinyl, CDs, artist merchandise, and a black-and-white photo booth, offering the perfect keepsake from your Rockefeller Center date. The best way to end your wintery date here is a stop at Van Leeuwen for a tasty assortment of seasonal, vegan, and classic ice cream flavors that are never boring.
5. The New York Aquarium
For all my summer lovers, spending the wintery, cold day inside Coney Island Boardwalk’s NY Aquarium is such a fun date to plan. This aquarium is super big, with so much sea life to observe, being home to sharks, sea otters, sea turtles, jellyfish, and tons more. This aquarium also has the best photo spot, with the 40-foot-long immersive and interactive overhead tunnel, putting you right up close to the vibrant marine life, coral, and sharks swimming above you. Being huge beach and summer lovers, my partner and I love anything having to do with that, and the NY Aquarium is such an exciting way to spend a winter day indoors, exploring. You can also take in the rest of Coney Island’s Boardwalk. Although it’s winter, Coney Island still has many things open for the season, and offers its own little winter wonderland, Frost Fest, with rides, games, and festive activities for your partner and you to adventure on!
No matter what you choose to do, New York City has the perfect date ideas for you and your partner to enjoy during this chilly season. Cozy up indoors at a Broadway theater, or stroll through the winter wonderland of Bryant Park. There are tons of adventures to be had in these winter months, so plan your date to one of NYC’s exciting and romantic settings!